U S Navy R5D-5 (C-54S), 91998
This became a regular on the Northern HF frequency net over the following years. Whilst it was initially delivered to the U S Army Air Force as 42-72645 it soon served with the RAF (much of it's time in the Asian theatre). It joined the U S Navy in February 1946 and was retired to Davis Monthan, AZ in October 1970 with an assigned park code of 3C079. It was subsequently sold onto the civilian market and re-registered N96449 as a C-54Q. Regrettably it ended its days on 01/12/1980 when it suffered a mid-air collision (during a photo air-to-air session as a fire bomber, coded '118' with Waig Aircraft Inc), with another C-54G fire bomber (N406WA/'119') some 8 km North of Indio, CA with both crew being killed. The other C-54 made an emergency landing at Palm Spring MAP, CA from where both aircraft had earlier departed.
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